know before you go

gotta vote!

5 things you should know about voter id laws

These are not bipartisan efforts. They are initiated by Republicans, passed by Republicans, and signed into law by Republicans. The State House Majority Leader in PA asserted that these voter restrictions would allow Mitt Romney to win the state.

The voters most likely to be burdened by these new voting restrictions are Democrats. Consider which voters don't have ID. Among seniors and young voters, 18% don't have valid ID. Among African Americans, 25% don't have valid ID.

Restrictions on voting, like poll taxes and "literacy" tests, have a long history. They are used by one party to prevent supporters of another party from voting.

If someone were trying to steal an election, in person voter fraud, where a voter pretends to be someone they are not at the polls, is the last method anyone would chose. Absentee ballot stuffing is much easier. But more Republicans vote by absentee ballot. So no new restrictions on absentee voting.

The Brennan Center has estimated that as many as 3.2 million citizens could find it harder to vote because of new voter ID laws.